Pump



March 9, 1943. E. HORTON PUMP Filed Jan. 16, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 PUMP 2 shets-sheet 2 Filed Jan. '16, 1939 "II '1 ,I I As; 2" fiwfi- D7 /9 T 40 4/ I 2/ 4/40 'l i 5 A 3a -i "5 39 V 4? 48 /6 57 Q /4 INVENTOR 510/2 C; HOW/02.

' ATTORNEYS improved pump as used in a Patented Mar. 9, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE rum Erwin c. Horton, Hamburg, N. Y., assignor to Trico Products Corporation, Buffalo, N. Y.

1' Application January 16, 1939, Serial No. 251,159

12 Claims.

This invention relates to a pump and fluid system especially adapted for use in the power plants of motor vehicles though not restricted to such use.

It has for its primary object to provide an eflicient pump which is capable of providing anoutput pressure of greater uniformity and one which is exceedingly quiet in operation.

Another and equally important object of this invention is to combine the pump with the liquid and gaseous systems, such as the lubricating and accessory systems of a motor vehicle, in such manner as to insure greater efliciency from both systems.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the motor vehicle power plant;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the pump;

'Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the pump as shown in Fig. 2;

Fig; 4 is a horizontal sectional view through the pump;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the pump as shown in Fig. 2; A

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken substantialiy at right angles to the plane of section in Fig. 2; and e Fig. 7 is a detailed section of the eccentric piston with the by-pass valve in its fully opened position. v

Referring more particularly to the drawings.

divided into chamwhich the compartment is divided thereby. The

eccentric piston is fixed on a drive shaft I! having a gear 20. The housing II is of cup formation and has its rear or upper side, as viewed. in Fig. 2, closed by a cover plate 2| which may be formed integrally with the-bearing 22 in which the shaft I3 is iournaled, the component sections of the housing being held together by suitable means such as screws 23. a

'Rotary movement of the shaft I! will impart like movement to the eccentric piston l3 and consequential oscillatory movement to the chem-- bered piston II, and where the pump is used for displacing two difierent fluids. such as oil and gas, individual ports are provided for the dinerby a gasket 4|. Where oil is utilized one of the two chambers I1 and Ill. The pressure or forward side of the rotating piston isprovided with a radial outflow passage 29 leading from the periphery of the piston and discharging through an axial passage 30 into a wall passage 3| of the pump housing, which communicates through a side wall duct 32 and thence through an outlet opening 33 in the mounting plate where delivery connection may be made. The two fluid displacing members It and I6 have sliding fit with the housing walls and the clearance therebetween is sealed by the liquid that is in the chambers I1 and I 8.

For the air or gas section of the pump the housing is formed with an inlet port 34 which being acted upon branches into chamber passages 35 and 36 leading respectively to the air chambers l2 and I3 and each provided with a ball checkvalve 31 designed to eflect unidirectionalflow into such chambers. The air, together with any spent sealing oil, will exhaust from the chambers through outlet ports 38 and 39, past the spring seated check valves 43 therein, and discharge through canals 4| formed in the mounting plate casting, such canals being definitely contoured as the sealing liquid the discharging liquid may be uti lized to lubricate l3 and for this purpose the casting is formed lead. These openings 42 are located between -machined annular m'ounting pads |3 about the shaft delivered from the suction pump, it will first bearing 22,, and when the sealing oil is enter-the openings 42 and-thereafter willbe blown into the surrounding chamber of the engine block. between the mounting pads, and out through an ofiset canal 44 in the outer pad 43. As it moves along the canal the -oil will pass over an oil opening to -lubricate the inner end of the shaft is and also spray onto the gear 20 and its intermeshing drive to thoroughly lub cate such elements. Inthis connection it will be observed that the the bearing for the drive shaft oil which collects in the i opening 42 will tend to flow outwardly along the shaft I!) by reason of the suction maintaining in the pump and especially in the annular recess 25 by reason of air slippage along the shaft.

For lubricating the journal support of the vane piston on the pin I a groove 46 is provided in one side face of the vane to establish communication between the oil chamber l1 and one end of the pin bearing. The opposite face of the piston is formed with a facial groove 41 establishing communication between the opposite end of the pin bearing and the air chamber i3. This will enable the pressure differential between the chamber l1 and the chamber l3, when under compression in the former, to cause a restricted flow of the lubricant through the groove 46, along the pin within its bearing, and out through the groove 41 into the chamber I3 where it may further serve to seal the sliding contact between the vane piston and the walls of the housing.

Wear plates 48 are provided for receiving the thrust from the eccentric piston l6. These plates or inserts are of relatively harder metal and prefits driving eccentric piston are maintainedthroughout the'life' of the pump.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the eccentric piston operates in adual capacity, first in the direct pumping of 'onefluid by alternately enlarging and ensmalling the chambers i1 and i8 and secondly in the actuation of the swinging piston through the camming action of the eccentric thereon for the indirect pumping of another fluid.

It has been found that owing to the incompressibilityof liquid an objectionably high pressure will develop in the chambers l1 and I8 as the eccentric piston approaches and-reaches its innermost position. This subjects the parts to excessive strain and produces a pounding noise which precludes a quiet pump. To remedy this means are provided to determine the extent of pressure build-up in the oil chambers beyond a predetermined degree.,. This important phase of the invention is taken care of effectively by bypassing excess liquid from the pressure side of the eccentric to the intaking side thereof. The by-passing means, as depicted, comprises a bypass 49 in the eccentric piston itself which is preferably much larger than passage 29 and discharges through a, port 5. into the radial inflow passage 28, and this cross-communication is normally closed or interrupted by a check valve 5i which is designed to open the interchamber communication after a predetermined pressure buildup in the pumping or active chamber I! or II. The check valve is of the piston type and is arranged in an axial bore 52 in the eccentric piston I6. It is yieldabiy held closed by a backing spring 53 confined in the bore, such closed position being fixed by a stop pin Sl. This stop pin is arranged adjacent the radial outflow passage 29 without restricting the oil flow therethrough.

The operation of this valve is such that under normal pumping the oil which is subjected to pressure in either chamber II or l8 will leave such chamber through the outflow passag 29 and discharge through the wall passage 3|. As the piston I approaches its innermost position, at which time the pressure on the confined body of liquid will rise rapidly and become quite excessive, the pressure will act on the outer end of the valve SI and forc it inwardly against the urge of spring 53 to open the by-pass whereupon the confined body of liquid, beyond that portion thereof which can be accommodated by the outlet 29 will cross over from the active chamber into the companion intaking chamber along with the fresh inflowing stream which is entering through the duct 21. The communicating port 50 is offset inwardly from the passage 49 so that when the valve ii is motivated by the liquid it will insure free communication between the passage and the radial passage 29 before the bypassing action takes place. This will avoid the valve chattering against the stop pin 54 or even over the passage 49 under the pulsations of the By havingthe by-pas within the rotating eccentric piston the fluid cross flow is always in the samedireetion with respect to the direction of rotation, so that only one valve is required to control the ever reversing by-pass of liquid, such by-passing being confined between the chambers I1 and I8 and flowing first from chamber ii to chamber l8 and then, as the rotary movement continues, from chamber l8 to chamber I]. The chamber in which the liquid is being subjected to pressure is obviously relieved in accordance with the setting of the springiii. The by-passing valve is moved to a position entirely out of the path of fluid flow so that the full capacity of the by-passage may be utilized. The axial bore 52, behind the sliding valve, is vented into the,

inflowing oil stream by a bleed hole 55, and in order to add strength to the chambered vane the latter has its front and back walls braced by a connecting web '56 which is apertured at 51 to avoid interference with the delivery of the oil.

The use of the internal by-pass of the pump under conditions having large variations in speed is unique in that the pump can be given large displacement volumes in order for it to have a sufllcient pump capacity at low speed and at the same time permitting the construction of the pump with inletand outlet passages much too small to accommodate the movement of the total displacement when the pump is operating at a relatively high speed. The internal bps-pass provides a means for the automatic relief of the higher pressures incidental to a restricted usage of the incompressible fluid being acted upon by the pump of the variable displacement. The relieving of this pressure is effectively accomplished byreason of the fact that the transfer of the excess displacement from one chamber to the other is over the shortest distance possible and through a by-pass having a maximum capaclty considerably larger than either the inflow or the outflow ports for such chambers and while the maximum'capacity is available for use it will be recognized that the valve 5| controls or manlates this capacity in accordance with the demands being made upon the pump with the result that the outlet .pressure of the pump is maintained as constant as possible at all speeds of operation. The outflow passage 29 is always open while the larger by-passage is normally closed and in this connection it will be noted that the transmitted pressure on the fluid flowing out of passage 29 acts upon the adjacent end of the check or piston valve SI, and as the pressure builds up beyond the counteraction of spring 53 the valve will be moved inwardly to first uncover by-pass 49, but the delivery port 50 will not be uncovered until the valve has moved sufficiently far from the stop pin 54 to be out of danger or contact therewith as the valve responds to the pulsations in the delivered liquid. When the valve is closed the passage 20 remains open but as the valve recedes the by-pass 4! will obviously serve for the delivery of fluid by the pump along with the passage 2!. When the port II is uncovered, then the transfer passage 49, ll, 28 will provide greater capacity for the escape of the excess liquid than that normally provided by the smaller passage 29.

If for any reason the inner chambers I! and is of the pump should become dry, as when the pump is first installed or because ofthe depletion of the liquid supply. it will only be necessary to operate the pump a brief intervalbefore the replenishing liquid will again be drawn into the inner chamber. This self-priming characteristic of the pump is primarily due to the fact that even though the clearance may not be sealed, nevertheless it must be recognized that the eccentric piston is working in its chambers within an outer zone, as defined by chambers l2 and is, which zone is of very low pressure for the greater part of the travel of the vane and consequently the air slippage is minimized to a practical extent. The displacement of the vane piston being much greater than that of the eccentric piston further insures this selfpriming operation because the vane piston in effect will act to pull the oil into the pump even without the assistance of the eccentric. Obviously when the oil reaches pumping chambers I1 and In such liquid will seal or pack to close on the vacuum pump whereby both will operate in their normally efficient manner.

The maximum power input ofthe pump is kept to a minimum since the four cycle action of the pump alternates the liquid and air displacing operations. For example when the liquid is being subjected to its greatest pressure the vane piston is midway between two. limits of movement and similarly when the vane piston is exerting its greatest pressure the eccentric 3 and outlet means for the chambers. a transfer passage through the piston from the chamber ensmalling side to the chamberenlarging side thereof for by-passing excessivedisplacement from both chambers in succession, said transfer passage having greater capacity than the outlet means and acting to transfer fluid back and forth between the two chambers, and valve means for regulating the transfer of fluid through said passage to determine a maximum pressure on the p mp output.

2. A pump having a compartment with opposed contact surfaces in its sides between onposed and chambers, a rotary piston having its periphery constantly bearing on the surfaces to seal the two chambersone from the other, means mounting the piston for movement of its periphery in an eccentricpath to ensmall and enlarge the two chambers for fluid displacing action therein, means for rotating the piston, a

transfer passage through the piston from thechamber ensmalling side to the chamber enlarging side thereof and acting flrstto permit excess fluid movement from one chamber to the other and then a reverse movement but always in the same direction through the passage, a spring pressed valve normally closing the passage and responsive to a predetermined pressure of the pump delivery for movement from the passage, inlet means for the chambers, and outlet means from the chambers having operative piston is midway between its opposite limits of compression.

The multiple pump unit has a wide range of use and is admirably adapted for automotive purposes, as generally indicated in Fig. 1, wherein the pump is piped into the lubricating system of a motor vehicle powerplant with the inlet 24 connected by conduit to the oil crank case sump or reservoir and its outlet 33 delivering through conduit 59 to the several points of lubrication in the system.

The air inlet port 34 may be connected by a tube to to asuction operated accessory, such as the windshield cleaner I. By reason of the vane having a greater fluid displacing capacity, as compared with the eccentricpiston, the accessory will be insured a constant and ample supply of low pressure for eflicient operation.

While the foregoing descriptionhas been given communication with the valve independently of the transfer passage to render the valve pressure responsive.

3. A pump having a housing, a fluid displacing member therein movable back and forth between theside walls thereof for fluid displacement and itself provided with a compartment elongated in a direction transversely of thepath of movement, a rotatable piston eccentrically Journaled in'the side walls of the housing and operating in the compartment to cam against the opposing sides thereof for imparting such back and forth movement to the fluid displacing member, the piston having a diameter substantially equal tothe spacing of the opposing sides of the elongated compartment and serving to divide and seal the opposite ends of the com partment one from the other, said piston by reason of its eccentric mounting moving into and out of the ends '01 the compartment for fluid displacing action, means for rotating the piston, inlet and outlet means for the housing. inlet and outlet means for the opposite ends oi the compartment, and means for by-passing excess fluid displacement fromthe high pressure a side to the 10? Pr ssure side of the-rotatable piston first from oneend of the compartment in detail, it is obvious that the inventive principles herein involved may 'assume other physical embodiments without departing from the spirit of the inventioifset roi-tu'aiid claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A. pump having a compartment with opposed contact surfaces in its sides between opposed end chambers, a rotary piston having its eriphery constantly bearing on the surfaces to seal the two chambers one from the other, means eccentric'aily mounting the piston for movement of its periphery to email and enlarge the,, two chambers insuccession for fluid displacing action therein, means for rotating the piston. inlet meat to the other and then, after a half turn of the rotatable pistondrom the other end of the compartment to the flrst specified end thereof.

4. A pump having a housing, fluid inlet and outlet means for said pump, a piston mounted therein for movement between and in sliding contact with opposing'side walls of the housing, said piston formed with an elongated compartment extending transversely of its path oimoveand closed by the side wallsia rotary piston Journaled eccentrically in the side walls and operating in the compartment to displace fluid from the opposite ends of the compartment, the rotary piston having a diameter substantially equal to thespacing of the sidesv of the compartment and acting in the'capacity of an ec-' centricjto impart back and forth movement to the first piston, a web joining the opposing sides of the compartment across one end of the rotary piston and having an opening in registry with a wall passage of the housing, said rotary piston having a fiuid port communicating through the web opening with the wall passage and forming a part of said inlet and outlet means for -centric peripheral surface contacting ,the side walls and operable to alternately enlarge and ensmali the opposite end chambers in succession 1 for intaking and expelling fluid from each, by-

pass means within the rotatable piston leading from the delivery side of the piston to the intaking side thereof, said by-pass means being normally closed and responsive to a predetermined fiuid pressure successively first in one end chamber and then in the other end chamber for opening to transfer excess displacement from the end chamber at the delivery-side of the piston to the other end chamber at the intaking side of the, piston, and inlet and.ou'tlet passages for admitting and exhaustingfluid from the end chambers of the pump.

6. A pump comprising a housing having a journal pin therein, an oscillating member pivoting on the pin for gas displacing operation in the housing and itself, formed with a liquid chamber, said member dividing the interior of the housing into fore and aft gas chambers which are alternately ensmalled and enlarged by said member for the displacement of gas, a rotary cam operating in the liquid chamber of said member and having peripheral contact with two opposing sides of the liquid chamber for oscillating the member and functioning additionally to displace liquid from the liquid chamber, means for rotating the cam, andinlet and outlet means for the several chambers, there being a liquid duct leading from the liquid chamber of said member to the journal pin adjacent one end and asecondduct leading from adjacent the-opposite end of the journal pin to one of said gas chambers for the flow of liquid about'the pivotal mounting of said member to lubricate such pivotal mounting.

7. A pump comprising a housing with a compartment having opposed contact surfaces interposed between opposed -end chambers thereof, a rotary fluid displacing member having an eccentric periphcry-inbearing contact with such surfaces and separating the two chambers while the p-riphery cnsmalls and,enlarges the chambers, means supporting the housing and member for relative movement during rotation of the displacing member, means for rotating the latter, inlet and outlet means for the chambers, a transfer passage in the rotary displacing member opening through the periphery at opposite sides thereof, each end of the passage opening successively into the opposed chambers for relieving excessive displacement from the delivery side to the intaking side of the rotary displacing member by transferring fluid first from one chamber to the other and then. reversely fromsaid other chamber to said one chamber as the pressures in the two chambers successively become Predominant but always in the same directionof flow through the t.ransfer passage, and a one-way spring-seated l and responsive to a predetermined pressure at the delivery side of the rotary displacing member for opening to permit such fluid transfer.

8. A pump for the combined pumping of two fluids. one. gas and the other liquid, comprising a housing having fore and aft chambers, a piston movable back and forth in the housing for the displacement of gas from the chambers-and itself formed with a compartment having opposed front and back side wall portions, a circular piston arranged in the compartment and J'ournaled eccentrically in the housing, means for rotating the circular piston, said circular piston having its eccentric periphery of a diameter substantially equal to the space between the opposed side wall portions for camming thereon to impart the back and forth movement to the first piston, said circular piston operating during its rotation to displace liquid first from one end of the compartment and then from the other end thereof, inlet and outlet passages for the chambers and the compartment, the circular piston having a passage therethrough opening at its opposite ends simultaneously into the opposite ends of the compartment for the transfer of excessliquid from the delivery side of the circular piston to the intaking side thereof first from said one end of the compartment to said other end thereof and then from the latter end thereof to the first end of the compartment, and means for controlling the by-passing capacity of the transfer passage whereby the displacing action of the circular piston is regulated to substantial uniformity so that the displacing action of the first piston is substantially uniform.

9. A pump for the combined pumping of two fluids, one gas and the other liquid, comprising a housing having fore andaft chambers, a piston movable back and forth in thehousing for the displacement of gas from the chambers and itself formed with a compartment having opp sed front and back side wall portions, a circular piston arranged in the compartment and journaled in the housing for eccentric rotation about an axis, means for rotating the circular piston, said circular piston having a diameter substantially equal to the space between the opposed side wall portionsiwith its eccentric periphery camming on the side wall portions to impart the back and forth movement to the first piston, said circular piston operating during its rotation to displace liquid first from one end of the compartment and then from the other end thereof, inlet and outlet passages for the chambers and the compartment, the circular piston having a passage therethrough opening at its opposite ends simultaneousiy into the opposite ends of the compartment for the transfer of excess liquid from the delivery side of the circular piston to the intaking side thereof first from said one end of the compartment to said other end thereof and then from the latter end thereof to the first end of the compartment, and a self-closing valve normally closing the transfer passage and responsive to a predetermined delivery pressure in the compartment to openthe passage for the transfer of excess fluid through the circular piston.

10. A pump comprising a housing with a compartment having opposed contact surfaces joining opposed end chambers thereof, a rotary fluid displacing member having an eccentric periphery in bearing contact with such surfaces and separating the two chambers while the periphcry ensmails and enlarges the chambers, means supp rting the housing and member for relative movement during rotation of the displacing 2,313,239 member, means for rotating the latter, inlet and outlet means for the chambers, a transfer passage in the rotary displacing member opening, through the periphery at spaced points an arranged that each end of the passage opens successively into the opposed chambers for relieving excessive displacement from the delivery side to the intaking side, thereof by transferring fluid first from one chamber to the other and then reversely from said other chamber to said one chamber as the pressures in the two chambers successively become predominant but always in the same direction of flow through the transfer passage, and means for controlling the by-passing capacity of the transfer passage including a valve carried by said rotary displacing memberand movable back and forth on the axis of rotation thereof, whereb to be unaffected by centrifugal influence during the rotation of said rotary displacing member, said valve being responsive to the fluid pressure at the delivery side of the rotary displacing member.

11. A pump comprising a. housing with a compartment having opposed contact surfaces loining opposed end chambers thereof, a rotary fluid displacing member having an eccentric periphery in bearing contact. with such surfaces and separating the two-chambers while the periphery ensmalls, and enlarges'the chambers, means supporting the housing and member for relative movement during rotation of the displacing member, means for rotating .the latter, inlet and outlet means for the chambers, a transfer pas-- sage in the rotary displacing member opening through the periphery at spaced points so arranged that each end of the passage opens successively into the opposed chambers for relieving excessive displacement from the delivery side to the intaking side thereof by transferring fluid first from one chamber to the other and then reversely from said other chamber to said one chamber as the pressures in the two chambers successively become predominant but always in the same direction of flow through the transfer passage, said rotary displacingmember being formed with a valve chamber'arranged on the axis of rotation and communicating with the transfer passage, and a valve. arranged in the valve chamber and movable back and forth in .an axial direction for regulating the by-pass ing' capacity of the transfer passage, said valve being responsive to fluid pressure at the delivery side of the rotary displacing member free and independent of centrifugal influence.

12. A pump comprising a' housing with a compartment having opposed contact surfaces joining opposed end chambers thereof, a rotary fluid displacing member having an eccentric periphery in bearing contact with such surfaces and separating thetwo chambers .while the periphery ensmalls and enlarges the chambers, means sup-,

porting the housing and member for relative movement during rotation of. the displacing member, means for rotating the latter, inlet and outlet means for the chambers, transfer passage means in the rotary displacing member opening through the periphery at spaced points and so rcversely from said other chamber to said one chamber as the pressures in the two chambers successively become predominant but always in the same direction of flow through the transfer passage means, and valve means for controlling the by-passirig capacity of the transfer passage means including a valve carried by said rotary displacing member substantially -on.the axis of rotation whereby the centrifugal influence developed in the rotary displacing member during ro- 

